Love you
by CatherineWinner
Summary: Ficlet's about Michael after he left her. Spoiler for 2x2022 complete
1. love you

The moment those words came out of her mouth Michael knew something was wrong. But the concept, the very idea that she was on the boat was even incentive for him to ignore that feeling. He spared his brother a glance before he behind toward the stairs that lead to the lower half.

"Love you-" it was rushed and awkward but he still felt them. He couldn't resist a smile as he tumbled down the stairs-she loved him. He looked around the kitchen, his mind racing for any sign of her…anything to stop that sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Love you-" He let his mind wonder to the decision for the appropriate greeting. A hug was definitely in order, and given the fact that this would be the first privacy that had had since meeting up again he was seriously contemplating a kiss that ended as something more.

"Love you-" those words rang through his mind, her tone. He wasn't finding her.

He was running down halls now yelling her name. He didn't care who heard them…just so long as she did. But she wasn't responding. She was on the ship! She was there!

"Love you-" No she wasn't.

Michael felt his heart drop. No she wasn't. That's why she had said it.

He raced up the steps begging any god that was listening that she was waiting up with Linc. That she would turn and smile, open her arms for a hug.

He came toward his brother, saw the cops and was sure his world had just ended.

"Love you-"

I love you too 


	2. regrets

The first night was the hardest for Michael. Lincoln had forced him to at lest lay in the bed, pacing the halls was to distracting for him.

Michael groaned as another wave of quilt caused his stomach to cringe. The cramps had been happening since the moment the shock that she was gone had worn off. He had withheld the tears but it seemed his body needed to rebel in any way.

"You're going to make yourself sick." Lincoln's voice said gently from the top bunk.

Michael glared at the rusty springs above him, "We left her," he snarled.

"We had to, man. We didn't have a choice. She did." His brother replied in the same tone.

"We LEFT her!" Michael said louder. "After-everything- we left her."

Lincoln gave a heavy sigh. "There was nothing we could do for her."

"That's what they said about you." Michael threw back. "And yet here you are. A free man."

"Michael-" Lincoln muttered.

"You know what?" Michael asked sarcastically. "Just go to bed. It doesn't matter anyways."

"Don't be like that, Michael. She was good to me too." Lincoln leaned over the side of the railing.

"But not good enough to go back for?" he glared at the other man. "Not good enough to risk it for? Not-"

"Michael-I'm sorry." Lincoln stated sadly, "This should never have happened."

His brother sympathy only seemed to enrage him further. Michael leapt from the bed and pulled on his jacket.

"Where are you going?" Lincoln asked, worry filling his voice.

"Out. Don't wait up. Oh wait-" he turned. "You never do."

Michael didn't wait for a response as he left their room and slammed the door behind him.

He made his way up to the deck-her words repeating over and over.

_I'm already onboard- _Lie.

_Great I'm on my way up._ Lie.

_Love you._ Truth

Michael leaned against a railing, a sob shook his body, and he didn't fight it. He allowed the tears to come. He dropped to the wet floor then circled a hand through the railing.

She lied to him. She wanted to keep him safe. He wanted to believe that…but the idea that maybe; just maybe she thought he wouldn't come for her. That he would have stayed on the boat-choosing paradise without her.

"God-" he moaned, "I would have given everything-" he flinched at his own words.

He would have. For the first time Michael knew he would have risked his freedom, his brother's freedom for her's. He knew he wasn't mad at his brother. He was furious at himself. If he had just kept his goddamn distance none of this would have happened. He would have been able to lift the keys from her the first time without her being any the wiser. She would have gotten a reprimand for being careless, maybe a two-week suspension. Then back to life as normal. Now did she have? 10 plus years in prison.

Michael bit his lip. This was all his fault. Why did he do this to the people he loved? He ruined Lincoln's life by not answering that damn phone call-he ruined Sara's by falling in love with her.

_Love you_…His heart felt like it clamped in a vice.

Water sprayed his face reminding him that he was in the wrong place. He should be in his cabin, safe where no one could recognize him. But that cabin was unbearable. It had been arranged for three people…yet there had only been two beds. If the last 4 hours of his life had been different he would have enjoyed the problem of sleeping arrangements. Now they dug into his soul as a reminder of something he would never have. Of the women who would always take the fall.

I'm thinking of doing two more parts to this-please let me know if I should. Thanks for reading!


	3. bus ride

_Can we just get there? Please?_

He had racked his mind during the boat ride over, trying desperately to think of the nearest phone he could get to. He decided when he picked up the Christina Rose he could use that phone. He had it all worked out. His heart was in his throat as he asked for the use of the phone. He moved quickly towards it, calming himself he lifted it and spoke. He muttered the numbered carefully into the phone. Numbers he knew by heart-and fear he always would.

When his brother slammed his fist into the phone Michael hated his brother for the first time in his life. Blood pumped so loud that he barely heard Lincoln explaining the danger. He knew the danger very well. How dangerous it would be if he sailed off into the sunset without knowing a thing about her. He NEEDED to know if she was all right. He needed to have her with him.

The bus ride was the worst; it wasn't just because his brother was grinning like a schoolboy but that Michael had been seated behind a very affection couple. They traded kisses and giggles so often Michael wanted to kick their seat.

He closed his eyes to block out their happy image. He knew that if Sara were sitting next to him they'd be doing the exact same thing. He could almost imagine her sitting close to him, her thigh pressed tightly against his. She would sit close to the window so she could see all the sites. He'd have his arm across the back of the seat, needing to be that much closer to her. She'd turn and smile at him when they heard Lincoln start snoring. He kiss her lightly right then she would lay her head on his shoulder. Michael closed his eyes he could almost feel it.

"We're free man," Lincoln whispered to him.

Free? Michael shook his head and looked at the empty space next to him. He'd traded one prison for another. But this time there was no getting out.


	4. sailing alone

Thx to Jen for getting up with me---no matter what time of day or night!

Hope you all still like this…thanks for the reviews!

Getting LJ had been their first stop. The boy had been reluctant to leave yet the moment he saw the Christina Rose and fully understood that they were free, he was packing.

Now Michael had to endure hours of joking, laughing and story telling. He should be happy he knew. This was everything he had planned on having. This was his paradise, his brother's freedom…his nephew's safety. But somewhere along the way his idea of paradise changed. It went from being with his two blood family to the woman he choose as family.

Michael sat on the back of the ship with his head bent between his knees. He was sick of everything. All he wanted was to be with her, to know she was safe. To know that Mahone hadn't gotten his hands on her. Michael knew that he would willingly give up his freedom to see her again.

"Uncle Mike!" LJ yelled urgently, "You want to see this!"

Michael ignored his nephew who had been trying to get him out of his shell all week.

"Mike get you ass over here, it's about Sara!"

Michael was on his feet before his mind could fully process what his brother had said.

He rushed to where Lincoln and LJ sat staring at a small TV.

"Again, Sara Tendcredi, daughter of the late governor Tendcredi, is being released today after stunning testimony from Agent Paul Kellermen. Agent Kellermen told the court today that Dr. Tendcredi was a hostage of Burrows and Scofield who used her talents as Dr. to aid them while they ran from the authorities. He provided evidence that she was nothing more then a hostage. Dr. Tendcredi is being released now-we'll see if we can get a comment from her."

Michael gripped the couch his nephew and brother sat on. His hands were shaking so badly LJ glanced back to make sure he was all right. Michael didn't notice, relief wafted over him as tears built in his eyes.

Sara and her lawyer stepped out of the courtroom; Michael felt his knees go weak. She was wearing a suit with her hair pulled back. She was stunning, no matter that she looked exhausted and still in shock. Michael was sure he had never been more relieved to see anyone.

A news reporter shoved a microphone in Sara's face as she exited the courtroom.

"Do you have a comment?"

Her lawyer pulled her away, "We'd like to give a statement. My client was a victim and the courts were completely unfounded for this prosecution. My client was a doctor in Fox River who devoted her life to helping criminals. She was trying to do her job when those brutal men took advantage of her. Then they continued to hunt her down after they escape. This whole ordeal was unjustified."

"Sara! What do you plan to do now?" A reporter yelled.

Sara finally lifted her head to a camera for the first time.

"Get on with my life and go somewhere where the water is warm."

Michael stared in shock, and then sagged against the couch as the TV channel faded out. Lincoln shut off the TV and looked at his brother. "You ok."

"Better then OK." Michael smiled, "She's alive, she's out…and she wants to be with me. What could be better?"

Lincoln shared a glance with his son before looking back up at Michael.

"She just said she wanted to get on with her life, man. I'm sorry but I don't think she wants to come with us."

"Where the water is warm." Michael quoted looking up as if Lincoln was an idiot.

"Yeah so?" Lincoln shook his head.

"That's the message I used to distract the FBI when we sent her that message for help!" Michael moved around the couch to his brother. "She wants to be with me!" He said happily, and then pulled his brother into a hug.

He pulled away, "Oh god…this is the best…we have to get to her…" He smiled at his nephew and ran to change courses.

Lincoln looked down at his son in shock. "OK that was weird."

"Is he Ok Dad?" LJ whispered. "I think maybe the stress has finally gotten to him or something. Maybe he's really lost it this time."

Lincoln smiled at his son. "Trust me son, your Uncle is not in control of any of his factiels. He's in love."


	5. sailing into the sunset

Ok this is the final chapter- thank you everyone for reading and commenting-it made me so happy that all of you read this. Please let me know what you think of my other stories as well…

And of course thanks to my beta goddess Jen-

I hope you all enjoy this!

She had spent the entire shower convincing herself it was over. She wasn't on the run anymore, evil government agents weren't hunting her, she wasn't in danger of being tortured, she was actually free of all of it. It was over for her. Sara had been relieved when the judge had dropped the charges allowing her to walk out of that courtroom. Yet the moment she got the chance she sent him a message-a message that she still wanted to be with him. Sara pulled a white towel around her body and walked into the cold kitchen, enjoying the feeling of being clean.

What the hell had she been thinking? He ruined her life. Sara opened her fridge and looked in.

Her lawyer had sent his assistant shopping for her, she smiled, she was well stocked for at lest two months. Sara stared into her fridge debating over cold lasagna or yogurt.

A creak in the floorboards made her stiffen. She scanned the area around her looking for anything that could be used as a weapon, seeing a shelf of knives she slammed her fridge closed and walked causally toward it. She pulled a butcher knife and gripped it firmly in her hands. She used one hand to secure her towel then turned.

She dropped the knife the moment her eyes recognized her intruder.

"Michael?" she whispered in shock.

He was wearing a blue jacket and the dirtiest pair of jeans she had ever seen. Still he was the best thing she had ever witnessed. "Michael?" she whispered again.

Michael stood at the other end of the kitchen staring at her like she was his salvation. He wasn't totally sure she wasn't. He hadn't been able to function normal until he had heard that she was safe and free and wanted to be with him, then it had been about getting to her. It didn't matter what they had to do or how far they had to go-all he could think about was getting to her.

Michael closed the distances between them with a few steps. Suddenly he was on her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her so tight against his chest Sara gasped for breath.

She used her free hand and held onto his shoulder. "You came-" she whispered, tears ran down her cheeks.

Michael buried his face in her shoulder and gasped in her scent. "Did you ever think I couldn't?"

Sara smiled but said nothing. She was relieved when the judge dropped her charges, she was relieved when Kellerman turned himself in…but what she was feeling in that moment couldn't even begin to be described as relief. It was more then that. Sara stepped closer into his hold.

"I'm so sorry-" he whispered, his voice emotional. Sara realized he was probably crying too.

"It wasn't your fault," she said into his shoulder.

"I shouldn't have left you alone, I put you in danger-" he stumbled. "Oh god-I missed you."

He pulled away then cupped her cheeks. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

Sara smiled, "I missed you too."  
Michael stared at her, then lifted her face and kissed her. It wasn't a sweet romantic kiss, part of her had been wanting. It was urgent, passionate, and almost harsh. It was meant to show her how much he had missed her.  
Sara lifted her hand to his cheek and returned the kiss. Her mind was going a mile a minute, she was with him again, they were together and they were kissing. That was her last thought as Michael deepened the kissed, pushing her against the counter, Sara completely forgot to think.

He pulled away from her gasping, "I love you, Sara."

Sara smiled, that was the first time all four of those words were properly spoken. "I love you too."

Michael smiled and rested a hand on her cheek while the other tumbled through her damp hair.

"I-want you to know how…mad I am at you." He mumbled.

Sara smiled, playfully, "If this is your mad I can't wait to see you happy."  
Michael grinned at her joke then focused on her lips and lost his smile, "You shouldn't have done that Sara. You don't know what I went through…it would have been easier if you had let them find us."

"You were so close, Michael. I wasn't about to risk your happiness just because I couldn't take a risk." She stroked his cheek gently.

"You are my happiness." He kissed her bottom lip gently, "And you're never allowed to leave me again."

"Oh yeah and you and what army are going to make me?" she tapped his nose.

"Well Linc for one." Michael grinned, "I was kinda a pain in the ass. I don't think he enjoyed my company too much."

"You? A pain in the ass? I never would have guessd." Sara laughed.

Michael kissed her gently then pulled away, "Are you Ok?"

Sara lost a little of her smile, "Of course."

"Don't of course me." He whispered, "I saw you coming out of the courtroom."

Sara dropped her hand to the base of his shoulder. "It was a long week."

Michael rested his forehead on her's. "Sara-"

"It's over Michael. Over and done and I don't want to look back." Sara sighed.

Michael closed his eyes, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't-" Sara placed a finger on his lips. "Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault. I'd do it again if it meant the same result."

Michael opened his eyes, "I'm never letting you be put in that position again."

Sara nodded, not seeing the point in arguing. "How's Lincoln?"

"He's a jerk." Michael muttered. "I think I'm going to throw him overboard if he doesn't stop singing in the shower." He traced the curves her face with a finger.

"Ahh…I get it now. You saved his life just so _you_ could kill him." She smiled broadly.

"What can I say? Brotherly love isn't exactly normal." He placed another kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"You said overboard." Sara whispered trying desperately to focus on conversation. "Your on a ship?"

"Yeah…"Michael muttered his hands sliding down to rub her shoulders. "The Christina Rose, she was the last step of the plan."

Sara frowned, as Michael seemed to be studying her lips, "Christina Rose? Who's that?" she asked.

He pulled away and blinked at her, "What?"

She smiled, then shook her head, "Who's Christina Rose? An old girlfriend or another ex-wife?"

Michael grinned, thrilled by her jealousy, "Neither. My mother."

Sara's eyes softened a little, "Michael-"

"Your naked." Michael stated suddenly.

Sara burst out laughing. "You just now noticed?"

Michael took a step back, "You should get dressed."

Sara nodded and grinned, "I got distracted by this criminal mastermind in my kitchen."

He laughed a little then dropped his hands to his side, "Sara…about that sailing into the sunset…. The offer still stands if you're willing."

Sara smiled, "Still sounds like a great plan."

"I ruined your life, Sara." He whispered suddenly sober.

She took a step toward him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't much of a life anyways. I find the one I have now so much more fulfilling."

Michael beamed, "Funny-I was just thinking the same."

"Oh yeah? When?" Sara asked, as she began studying his lips.

"Right when I was doing this." He whispered huskily as he pulled her against him into another kiss.

When a panicked Lincoln found them the next morning they were fast asleep in her bed. Michael had her wrapped tightly in his arms. Sara's head was buried in his neck and they both were having the best sleep of their lives.

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End file.
